Race to Glasgow begins as AFN unveil schedule for trials
Nigeria’s quest for Commonwealth Games glory begins this weekend as the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has released the official programme for the 2026 Commonwealth Games Trials, set to take place in Lagos from June 20 to 22.
Over three action-packed days, some of the nation’s finest track and field athletes will compete for coveted spots on Team Nigeria ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, scheduled for July 23 to August 2.
The trials are expected to showcase intense competition across a range of events as athletes battle not only for medals but also for the opportunity to wear the national colours on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
The competition gets underway on Saturday with the women’s 5,000m final and men’s discus final setting the tone for the championships.
Fans will also get their first look at the sprint stars as the opening heats of the men’s and women’s 100m races take place, alongside the first-round heats of the men’s and women’s 400m events.
Field events will feature the men’s high jump final before the focus shifts to an exciting afternoon programme that includes the women’s long jump, women’s shot put, and the men’s and women’s 800m finals.
The day will also see athletes contest the women’s 100m heats, men’s triple jump final, and men’s 5,000m final.
The competition is expected to heat up on Sunday as race walkers compete in the men’s and women’s 10,000m events.
Field event athletes will also be in action with finals in the women’s javelin, women’s triple jump, and the men’s and women’s hammer throw.
On the track, attention will turn to the hurdles with heats in the men’s and women’s 400m hurdles, while the afternoon session features the eagerly anticipated semi-finals of the men’s and women’s 100m and 400m races.
The day will reach its climax with the finals of the men’s and women’s 100m, traditionally one of the most anticipated events at any athletics championship.
The final day of competition on June 22 will provide athletes with one last opportunity to secure qualification and impress selectors.
The morning session begins with heats in the men’s 110m hurdles, women’s 100m hurdles, and the men’s and women’s 200m races.
The afternoon promises a dramatic conclusion, with finals scheduled in the men’s and women’s 400m hurdles, men’s javelin, women’s high jump, men’s and women’s 1,500m, women’s discus, and the men’s and women’s 400m.
The trials will then close with the finals of the men’s and women’s sprint hurdles and 200m events, where several athletes are expected to make their final statement in the race for places on Nigeria’s Commonwealth Games team.
With Glasgow on the horizon, the stakes could hardly be higher as Nigeria’s top athletes prepare to chase qualification, national pride, and the chance to represent the country on the international stage.
Join the Savid News channel on WhatsApp:
